LOS ANGELES—Drinking tea regularly appears to slow the risk and rate of cognitive decline in older adults, according to a new study out of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In findings presented at the Alzheimer’s Association’s International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease 2010, the research team looked data on more than 4,800 Americans aged 65 and over who were participating in the Cardiovascular Health Study. They specifically examined the relationship between coffee and/or tea consumption and change in cognitive function over time, up to 14 years.
At baseline, 25 percent of subjects reported drinking tea daily, while 43 percent drank coffee daily. The average rate of cognitive decline over time was -1.17 using the Mini-Mental State Examination; adjustments were made for several factors including gender, smoking status, history of stroke and coronary heart disease, and depression score. Researchers reported consumption of tea at the highest three levels reduced the decline in MMSE scores by 17 to 37 percent. The benefits of tea were seen starting at a level of only one up per month. While subjects who consumed the highest amount of coffee also saw a reduction in cognitive decline, around 20 percent, the research team concluded the common stimulant in both beverages—caffeine—was not the likely causal agent.
Lenore Arab, Ph.D., a professor at UCLA and lead researcher, said the neuroprotective effect seen in tea likely is something other than caffeine. She said in a statement, “The effect may be related to some other component in tea, such as flavonoids or perhaps theanine; however more research is required before a link can be confirmed.”
This research was supported by the Lipton Institute of Tea and conducted at UCLA in collaboration with the University of Washington.
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